


Tea, Mrs. Aird?

by amerrierworld



Category: Carol (2015), The Price of Salt - Patricia Highsmith
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Pre-Canon, request
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-17
Updated: 2020-12-17
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:07:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,444
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28131405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amerrierworld/pseuds/amerrierworld
Summary: Carol comes home early to you babysitting Rindy.
Relationships: Carol Aird/Reader, Carol Aird/You
Comments: 5
Kudos: 49





	Tea, Mrs. Aird?

**Author's Note:**

> request: “Carol Aird x Reader instead of Therese, reader sometimes babysits Rindy/fixed Carol’s car…”
> 
> (This is pre-canon, with a slightly younger Rindy and no Therese but the same marriage-in-distress blonde we all love!)

Carol was dropped off by a taxi at the mansion home late in the evening, her toes aching from her heels and her face hurting from the sick smiles she was forced to keep giving Harge and his parents over and over again. Jeanette made it a bit more bearable, chatting away to the blonde as if there was no tension between the married couple to be seen.

She tipped the driver and struggled to find her keys, cursing on the doorstep, chilled to the bone. Her hands shook with cold as she tried and failed to open the door, ready to smash her head into it when it suddenly creaked open.

“Mrs. Aird?” Your voice was timid, but your eyes were twinkling brightly. You were wrapped in a blanket over your shoulders that you no doubt snitched off of the living room sofa. Carol’s posture drooped a bit and she smiled tiredly at you.

Florence was on vacation, and though Carol had insisted she could stay home while Harge went to dinner to look after Rindy, he had retaliated and picked up the phone to call you, the babysitter, before any more arguments could have been made.

You stepped to the side, holding the door open so Carol could come in, blonde hair slowly falling from their curls.

“Where’s Mr. Aird?” you asked, noting how she came in alone. Carol sighed and forced a smile as she shook off her heels.

“Still at dinner. I wanted to come home early. Is Rindy in bed?” To be fair she had no idea if Harge would even come home tonight, though she didn’t let that get to her.

“She is. Fast asleep last I checked,” you answered.

“Damn,” Carol sighed. “I was very excited to say goodnight. I suppose that’s on me for coming this late after her bedtime.”

“You could probably pop in and give her a hug-,”

“No, no, I’ll let her sleep,” though her shoulders slumped, nonetheless.

“Would you like some tea? I just put the kettle on,” you asked, moving her shoes away from the doorway.

“Oh, you’re a sweetheart. I’d love some,” Carol said, smiling kindly. “I just need to hop in the shower quickly.”

“Of course,” you cleared your throat, flustered, but remaining as composed as possible.

Carol dragged herself upstairs and you went to make her a steaming cup of tea. Fingers brushing through your hair, you flattened out your dress to rid of the wrinkles.

A little bit of milk, and some sweet honey, and you had it ready. You knew the way Carol liked her tea, her coffee, her cutlery organised in the kitchen down to a t. You busied yourself cleaning the rest of the kitchen until you heard soft footsteps approaching you from behind.

Carol was in her bathrobe, hair damp, face fresh and calm, and your knees nearly buckled on the spot.

You passed her the mug carefully, fingers brushing. Carol leaned against the countertop and watched you as you kept tidying.

“You know you could leave that for Florence, right? You’re not in charge of every corner of the house. Only Rindy.”

You thought you were being reprimanded and you blushed, but when you met Carol’s gaze there was a teasing glimmer in her eyes and you smiled. “I just want it to be as spotless as can be. I don’t mind doing it, you know. It feels natural to do as part of my job.”

Carol hummed as she sipped her tea, “ _natural,_ you say.”

Her eyes gazed off into some far-away place. You knew the look; troubled and concerned, but you supressed the urge to ask and pry about it.

“Oh, goodness, look at the time,” Carol gasped. “I didn’t realize I had been _that_ late. Or maybe I was in the bathroom too long.”

“You _do_ enjoy luxuriously long showers,” you teased. Carol looked at you, her face unreadable. “From- from what I can tell.. Mrs. Aird.”

She smiled, just the barest hint of teeth showing, and you looked down, then glanced at the clock. “I should probably go. Technically my job was finished the moment you got back. I’m sorry for lingering.”

“No-, no no, you’re not lingering, darling,” Carol assured you, reaching across the countertop to gingerly grasp your hand. “I enjoy your company, really I do.”

“Well,” you muttered, feeling your cheeks heat up. Carol’s thumb swiped gently over your hand, and you hoped she wouldn’t feel your racing heartbeat.

As if on cue, a loud thunderclap from outside made you jump. Strong rain rumbled on the roof. Amidst the impromptu thunderstorm, Carol held your hand consistently, gripping your fingers as you both watched the wind and rain against the nearest window. 

“Well,” Carol murmured, “you shan’t be leaving now, darling. No cab is going to come out here at this time now with this storm. Stay the night.”

She stated it so matter of factly, as if there wasn’t any other option. You opened your mouth to object, again, but something came bounding down the stairs before either of you said anything.

Carol’s hand slipped away from yours, and you mourned the loss of the warmth as Rindy ran into the kitchen, whimpering and latching onto her mother’s bathrobe. The three year old began blabbering about the scary noises from outside and Carol lifted her onto her hip, hushing and cooing her soothingly. 

“Could you make her some warm milk, please?” Carol said to you softly before walking back up the stairs with her daughter in her arms.

You came to Carol’s bedroom with a warm bottle of milk and Carol’s mug in hand, which you had topped up with a bit more hot tea. You waited a moment, watching Carol as she soothed and spoke to her daughter, holding her small hands and brushing her hair away from her face. She was sitting cuddled in her mother’s lap on the big bed, nearly drowning in the massive duvet and blankets. 

When she noticed you in the doorway Carol beckoned you in, and helped Rindy take a few sips. Once finished, you took the bottle from the toddler and handed Carol her tea. 

“Oh, you shouldn’t have,” she whispered. You limply shrugged a shoulder and tentatively sat on the edge of the bed, holding one of Rindy’s small hands as she fell asleep.

Once Rindy was fully asleep, Carol reached a hand out to you to tap on your shoulder, nodding her head to the door to indicate you both should shuffle out quietly.

“Well, I suppose my bed’s been taken for the night,” Carol quipped, tightening her robe’s belt. 

“Oh, then take the guest room! I don't mind sleeping on the couch, really, it’s a nice couch,” you added. 

“Nonsense, whatever gave you that idea? Come on, the bed’s big enough for both of us.”

“But, Mrs. Aird-,”

“It’s just Carol, remember?” she said, eyes shining. “Come along.”

And that was how you ended up in the surprisingly spacious guest bed with Carol by your side, wearing an old pyjama set of hers, tucked under the heavy blankets. 

“What if Mr. Aird comes home when we’re sleeping?” you asked, softly. Carol was scribbling a note down to remember to call Abby tomorrow that she set on her nightstand.

“Oh, he won’t be coming home tonight, Y/N,” she said airily.

You blinked in surprised, quieted by the truthfulness of her voice and the implication of the statement.

“We got in a row at the party,” she admitted, avoiding your gaze as she fluffed her pillow. “He’s either at his parents’ or staying at Cy and Jeanette’s. Not that I mind.”

“I’m very sorry, Mrs. Ai-, Carol, I mean.”

“Don’t be,” she sighed, turning to look at you. “There’s nothing to be done about it. I’m happy you’re here instead. At least I don’t want to rip my hair out around you.”

“I’m happy too. Thank you for letting me stay.”

“How many times must I tell you, it really is no bother at all. Sleep now, you insufferable thing,” Carol laughed, running a warm hand through your hair. 

You couldn’t remember when you fell asleep, only that some time in the night Rindy had woken and climbed in your bed despite your best efforts to get her back to sleep. Carol had grunted in surprise, half-asleep, before pulling Rindy and then you close to her, making a cozy cuddle pile in the bed. You fell asleep once again to the feeling of Carol’s warm hands holding you close, and this time with an additional Rindy snuggling closely against you, content, unbothered, and delightfully relaxed. 


End file.
